Groundwater – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
aquifer
answer
underground layer of permeable rock from which groundwater can be removed
question
impermeable
answer
not allowing a fluid to pass through
question
permeable
answer
allowing a fluid to pass through
question
porosity
answer
amount of air space between soil or rock particles
question
water table
answer
top of the saturated zone in groundwater
question
The water table _____.
rises and falls with precipitation
is the bottom layer of the saturated zone
is a layer of porous rock below an aquifer
always stays in the same place
answer
The water table can be anywhere from a foot to hundreds of feet below the surface. It is not always in the same place, and it may rise or fall, depending on the amount of precipitation and the amount that people pump out of the ground.
rises and falls with precipitation
question
Groundwater _____.
is recharged by precipitation
stays in one place and never moves
is only found in areas with wet climates
exists mostly as underground rivers and lakes
answer
Groundwater forms when precipitation, rain, snow, sleet, hail, or freezing rain soaks into the ground It settles into three main layers- the saturated zone, the water table, and the unsaturated zone.
is recharged by precipitation
question
Which of the following is the most permeable?
shale
clay
gravel
nonporous rock
answer
Sand and gravel are highly permeable. Clays and soils with mixed particle sizes have low permeability.
gravel
question
Which of the following materials is the least porous?
loosely packed gravel
sorted sand and rock
unsorted sand and rock
large pebbles and boulders
answer
large pebbles and boulders